This is one of those problems that just won't go away. Until the sanctioning associations require certified judges, or the cookers demand better, it will continue.papajimI'm not perfect...just like to share my $.02 on the internet

I've heard of it but think pulling from teams isn't a good idea. I've been in a bind before and gone to the crowd for volunteers. Usually only grab someone I know isn't related to a team. Some comps get a bad name for doing dumb stuff. Some teams go full cry baby too. I'm small time so I don't sweat the small stuff.

In the organization I typically cook in there is a gentleman who has been cooking for years and has done well over the years. This year he is now a board member of this organization (higher than the Vice President) and Also cooks in various events. His wife and sister-in-law are judge coordinators and are in charge of the judging for several events. For these events (where his wife is a judge coordinator) this board member does participate as a cook in. I personally don't have an issue with it since I know he has cooked in events where his wife isn't the judging coordinator and done well but there are other members of this organization that don't like it.

Finatic wrote:In the organization I typically cook in there is a gentleman who has been cooking for years and has done well over the years. This year he is now a board member of this organization (higher than the Vice President) and Also cooks in various events. His wife and sister-in-law are judge coordinators and are in charge of the judging for several events. For these events (where his wife is a judge coordinator) this board member does participate as a cook in. I personally don't have an issue with it since I know he has cooked in events where his wife isn't the judging coordinator and done well but there are other members of this organization that don't like it.

I'd like to get y'all's thoughts on this?

His wife is not tasting or judging the food her taste judges are. Head judges take the boxes and table monitors shuffle the boxes. The teams that are not winning and have conspiracy theory's need to up their cooking skills is all.

Finatic wrote:In the organization I typically cook in there is a gentleman who has been cooking for years and has done well over the years. This year he is now a board member of this organization (higher than the Vice President) and Also cooks in various events. His wife and sister-in-law are judge coordinators and are in charge of the judging for several events. For these events (where his wife is a judge coordinator) this board member does participate as a cook in. I personally don't have an issue with it since I know he has cooked in events where his wife isn't the judging coordinator and done well but there are other members of this organization that don't like it.

I'd like to get y'all's thoughts on this?

His wife is not tasting or judging the food her taste judges are. Head judges take the boxes and table monitors shuffle the boxes. The teams that are not winning and have conspiracy theory's need to up their cooking skills is all.

I think it's more personal than anything. One of the cooks that complained about it is high on the points list and wins often. Says it's a principle thing since most judge coordinators are responsible for bringing in the judges. I could care less. If you cook good Q it will get recognized.

Any time People are Judging you can only hope for Unbiased Honesty - - - there's no way to Guarantee it - - - I admire anyone that cooks Competition and anyone that takes on the responsibility of Judging - - - I personally would never attempt either

Finatic wrote:In the organization I typically cook in there is a gentleman who has been cooking for years and has done well over the years. This year he is now a board member of this organization (higher than the Vice President) and Also cooks in various events. His wife and sister-in-law are judge coordinators and are in charge of the judging for several events. For these events (where his wife is a judge coordinator) this board member does participate as a cook in. I personally don't have an issue with it since I know he has cooked in events where his wife isn't the judging coordinator and done well but there are other members of this organization that don't like it.

I'd like to get y'all's thoughts on this?

His wife is not tasting or judging the food her taste judges are. Head judges take the boxes and table monitors shuffle the boxes. The teams that are not winning and have conspiracy theory's need to up their cooking skills is all.

I think it's more personal than anything. One of the cooks that complained about it is high on the points list and wins often. Says it's a principle thing since most judge coordinators are responsible for bringing in the judges. I could care less. If you cook good Q it will get recognized.

When you say judge coordinator are you referring to the promoter side or the Head judge?It is the promoters job or assistants to find taste judges. If you are cooking an event and personally know the promoter or even being their family member it matters not. A promoter cannot cook an event he is running in IBCA.

Finatic wrote:In the organization I typically cook in there is a gentleman who has been cooking for years and has done well over the years. This year he is now a board member of this organization (higher than the Vice President) and Also cooks in various events. His wife and sister-in-law are judge coordinators and are in charge of the judging for several events. For these events (where his wife is a judge coordinator) this board member does participate as a cook in. I personally don't have an issue with it since I know he has cooked in events where his wife isn't the judging coordinator and done well but there are other members of this organization that don't like it.

I'd like to get y'all's thoughts on this?

His wife is not tasting or judging the food her taste judges are. Head judges take the boxes and table monitors shuffle the boxes. The teams that are not winning and have conspiracy theory's need to up their cooking skills is all.

I think it's more personal than anything. One of the cooks that complained about it is high on the points list and wins often. Says it's a principle thing since most judge coordinators are responsible for bringing in the judges. I could care less. If you cook good Q it will get recognized.

When you say judge coordinator are you referring to the promoter side or the Head judge?It is the promoters job or assistants to find taste judges. If you are cooking an event and personally know the promoter or even being their family member it matters not. A promoter cannot cook an event he is running in IBCA.

Judging coordinator (JC) is the same thing as a head judge (in IBCA) and performs the same duties. You are correct the promoter is responsible for getting the judges but often a JC will have people contact them about judging. At the event where I heard all the rumblings the JC brought in most of the judges.

OldUsedParts wrote:Any time People are Judging you can only hope for Unbiased Honesty - - - there's no way to Guarantee it - - - I admire anyone that cooks Competition and anyone that takes on the responsibility of Judging - - - I personally would never attempt either

You are correct OUP. And most of the time events are judged very fairly. I've seen unfair situations but they are pretty rare. Comp cooking is different but lots of fun!

Judging coordinator (JC) is the same thing as a head judge (in IBCA) and performs the same duties. You are correct the promoter is responsible for getting the judges but often a JC will have people contact them about judging. At the event where I heard all the rumblings the JC brought in most of the judges.[/quote]This must have been a Lonestar or CTBA event.

Judging coordinator (JC) is the same thing as a head judge (in IBCA) and performs the same duties. You are correct the promoter is responsible for getting the judges but often a JC will have people contact them about judging. At the event where I heard all the rumblings the JC brought in most of the judges.

This must have been a Lonestar or CTBA event.[/quoteI've never cooked in a CTBA cook off. Was talking to a cook last weekend about it. He's cooking in his first cook this coming weekend. Definately a little different (from IBCA & LSBS) as far as the turn in boxes go.

A few years back at an IBCA event down here in south Texas we were setting up camp early with a few other teams. This one rig shows up and gets a spot up close to the judging area that was open and yet not spots were supposed to be reserved. Well it turns out that the head judge was part of the entourage and his buddies were entered to cook even under his team name. No one said anything and I honestly didn't have an issue with it but the word got around quick and it seemed to cause a bit of uneasiness within the grounds.

Well long story short that team wound up with two 1st and a 2nd and yes GC. This head judge even posed for photos with the team after the awards by his truck and Lets just say that 30 minutes later the sheriff's officer had to stop a fight. Now I know this team normally places well so I still did not have a problem cause I know their history.

Now after talking to a few guys a couple months later about the subject one of my friends told me to go and look at the IBCA results over the last few cooks. Coincidence or not The same head judge had overseen two other cook offs and yes his team entered won GC. His team also competed at a couple other cook-offs where he was not the head judge and his team didn't even walk.

again I know this team and they are good and I know that you cant always walk every time but it just didn't look right and I understand why some teams were peaved off.

I went and judged a small IBCA contest last weekend so that I could finally see behind the scenes. I came away feeling better about the IBCA processes, and I think that I understand the contests much more than I did previously. I have a feeling that while there might be some shadiness out there, that overall everything is on the up and up at an overwhelming majority of these cookoffs. As long as people are vocal and point out the problems when they do happen, things will continue to improve, and the negative things will be eliminated.

I'm even going to try cooking some IBCA events again over the next few months since there are not any KCBS contests close by for the rest of the year. First one will be out at the Waller County Fair this weekend. Now if I can just figure out how to cook half a chicken...

erichasaces wrote:I went and judged a small IBCA contest last weekend so that I could finally see behind the scenes. I came away feeling better about the IBCA processes, and I think that I understand the contests much more than I did previously. I have a feeling that while there might be some shadiness out there, that overall everything is on the up and up at an overwhelming majority of these cookoffs. As long as people are vocal and point out the problems when they do happen, things will continue to improve, and the negative things will be eliminated.

I'm even going to try cooking some IBCA events again over the next few months since there are not any KCBS contests close by for the rest of the year. First one will be out at the Waller County Fair this weekend. Now if I can just figure out how to cook half a chicken...

My wife and I are in the process of getting our Head Judge badges for IBCA. If you have ever worked the back end of a cook off you will see that keeping track of a single box is nearly impossible for a cheater. The head judges receive the boxes and are looking for a specific criteria before it ever goes to a staging table. From there along with however many entry's the boxes are shuffled and moved to another table for marking once again no specific order until marked then they are handed to the taste judges. You would have to be real good at the shell game to even remotely keep up with one box and even then you do not know what number the table monitor wrote on it.